It was the same dream again, the one where his mother suffocated him to death, the one that always made him unable to breathe, waking him up in burning tears and frustration. This time though he didn't open his eyes in shock nor was his brother the one to messily wake him from his slumber. He was brought back by this familiar whispering, people talking above his head.
"Poor Astor…" the woman said with a sad tone.
"At least he is not in pain anymore, the emulsion I used this time has a numbing effect stronger than others, he won't be able to feel his back though." he said and Astor's eyes shoot wide open, making both of them gasp out of surprise.
"He is awake!" she exclaimed happily. "Hello!"
"Hello." he greeted her back. "What…what happened?" he asked, his eyes traveling between them. Looking around he realised he had been moved to the infirmary, the doctor and the nurse that were usually there were nowhere to be seen, the whole place empty as if they had reserved it just for him. The light of the sun caressed his cheek. "How long have I been asleep?"
"Just through the night." she told him. "Our Alpha interrupted your punishment and…"
"Zeth owes him money." Astor added.
"Yes, that stupid brother of yours borrowed money to gamble actually." the man told him and the white-haired werewolf scoffed. Of course, it would be for a reason like that. Flaunting around how concerned he had been for his people was a blatant lie, he didn't know who he expected to fool with that, maybe Edwin? Now that their Alpha was here though he had nowhere to hide.
"I see…" Astor mumbled. He was dumbfounded, not fully aware of what he should do now. Was he supposed to run to his younger brother and try to help him? The truth was that he didn't want to. He had no will to get up from this bed, feeling exhausted, his whole body numb the only little satisfaction he received was from the thought that Zeth was probably cornered right now, with no means of escaping.
"Our Alpha is conversing with your brother and that scary Beta right now. They are trying to agree, and maybe come to a settlement. I am Niss by the way and this is my twin brother Nash. We took you from the ground and brought you here."
"Thank you. For now and before."
"Oh, that was nothing! It was just that no one was willing to help you and we couldn't just let you there." she said and Astor gave her a bitter smile.
"It's alright. I am used to people ignoring me."
"Your brother seems like an idiot." Nash said and Astor couldn't help but laugh, feeling a painful pull on his back. He had just noticed that his whole body was covered with bandages, taken care of very carefully.
"It feels good to hear someone else say it. Yes, he is an idiot. I am sorry, this might sound very obnoxious of me but…why did you help me? Your pack is not exactly known to be…"
"Kind?" Niss asked him, looking at him straight in the eyes. He didn't know if it was okay for him to agree and confirm the rumours but as she said it she didn't seem to mind, a subtle smile was on her face as she watched him nod. "We're not really, but we obey the wills of the moon and you're too pretty to leave all alone." she told him.
"Pretty? Me?" Astor asked her with a shocked expression. He was not pretty, very far from it. All of his life he had been called an anomaly, someone too scary to look at.
"Yes, you. I am sure your brother treats you like that because he is jealous." Niss kept complimenting him and he couldn't help but blush, he had never heard anyone speak so nicely to him before, her words worked a lot better than the medicine on his body.
"Thank you. You are very kind to me." he told her. "I think that it is time for me to go see what is going on with my brother though."
Astor tried to get up, his body heavy from the drugs that were used on him but at least he wasn't in pain. Niss placed her arms around him, watching carefully as he stepped on the cold floor of the infirmary barefoot. Her brother was standing close to the door, observing them as he limped towards his old sneakers. He seemed a bit more serious than her, distant.
"Why go? He treated you horribly."
"I don't really want to go." Astor confessed. "But I made a promise to my mother that I will help him." he said and with Niss' help, he reached the door to the exit. "Also, I do want to see him scared and cornered, it's the little parts of justice I get, those are enough for me."
"Let's go then. I will help you." Niss offered and Astor gifted her with one of his brightest smiles. He hadn't reacted to anyone like that for a while, no one made him feel like it was worth smiling after all. "Oh my, if you smile at me like that I might fall for you." she joked as she opened the door for him so they could go and find Zeth. She also helped him wear his shoes, tying his shoelaces.
He expected the warm sun to hit his face, to step outside and face the people of his pack looking at him the way they looked at a traitor but he didn't make it outside and a huge shadow was cast right in front of him instead of the bright rays. Someone was standing at the door, the werewolf realized and raised his head.
"So you lived." he heard him say and recognized him immediately. The same tone, mischief and confidence, a deep and low tone, warm and seductive. It was the voice he had heard moments before he fainted and now finally this voice had a face and a body.
Blinking, Astor stared at him, finding himself unable to move.
He was tall, for sure a head taller than him and Astor was not considered short so looking at him with his head raised was a first for him. His frame was big, with a wide chest and strong arms, underneath a black t-shirt, that led to rough hands. His right arm was covered to the wrist with a black tattoo, its design one of a dragon with bloody red flowers surrounding it, it was beautiful, delicately crafted, possibly endless hours had been spent on it, while his left arm was filled with old scars that had healed, showing a past indulged in pain.
His skin was lightly tanned as if he was spending his mornings at the beach with a pair of sharp eyes. Long black eyelashes framed his yellow irises that almost looked like gold. His nose was straight, with characteristics that were strong and handsome, making him look serious. His lips were perfectly shaped, his hair black, looking like the feathers of a raven parted on the side and falling messily on the left part of his face, covering his eye just enough for the scar there to be barely visible.
Astor could not stop looking at him, he couldn't even blink worried that he would disappear from before him, because the image of such a man could only be one caused by an illusion. His heart raced, his body tensed as their eyes met, and his breathing stopped, the slightest movement felt absurd in a moment like this when everything suddenly shut down and no one existed anymore except him.
Werewolves were generally beautiful creatures in an earthy way. They belonged to the forest, they were a part of it but this man before him was so much more. He looked as if he was born to rule it, to reign above the earth and reach every corner of the moon. To own every piece of the land and order every person that dared to step on what was his. His presence was dominant, and his appearance almost as if he had come out of a dream could make anyone fall for him with just a mere stare. He held so much power to the point that Astor felt scared and ashamed, small in front of him.
Without realizing he took a step back, wanting to create some space between them, and stepped on his shoelace that somehow had come undone. He awaited his fall as his whole body was pulled back but he caught him. Grabbing his wrist he pulled him forward, forcing him to stand on his feet again, pressing him against his chest.
"Why is he up?" He asked the twins while still holding him close.
"Ren!" Nash called him. So that was his name, Ren, Astor thought. Something in him made sure he would never forget it.
"He wanted to help his brother out." Niss said.
The moment he heard that, Ren let go of him, rather violently and Astor was pushed back again, feeling like some kind of ball.
"Why would you ever want to help that trash?" he asked him, now referring to him and staring at him with an almost enraged expression.
The man he had described almost as godly-looking had turned into the devil in mere seconds.